I. nounEtymology: from the belief that nectar-laden bees return to their hives in a direct lineDate: 1830
a straight direct course
II. intransitive verbDate: 1940
to go quickly in a straight direct course

Look at other dictionaries:

beeline — ► NOUN (in phrase make a beeline for) ▪ hurry directly to. ORIGIN with reference to the straight line supposedly taken instinctively by a bee when returning to the hive … English terms dictionary

beeline — ☆ beeline [bē′līn΄ ] n. [from the belief that a bee usually flies straight back to its hive after getting nectar] a straight line or direct route from one place to another: now chiefly in the phrase make a beeline for, to go straight toward … English World dictionary

beeline — (n.) also bee line, 1838, American English, from BEE (Cf. bee) + LINE (Cf. line) (n.), in reference to the supposed homing instinct of bees in the field … Etymology dictionary

beeline — /ˈbilaɪn / (say beeluyn) noun 1. a direct route; the shortest possible course: when the meeting finished we all headed in a beeline for the refreshments. –phrase 2. make a beeline, to proceed swiftly and directly towards: *The no hopers always… … Australian English dictionary

beeline — /bee luyn /, n. a direct route traveled quickly (usually in the phrase make a beeline for): The minute he came home he made a beeline for the refrigerator. [1820 30, Amer.; BEE1 + LINE1] * * * … Universalium

beeline — 1. noun a) A very direct or quick path or trip. The children made a beeline to the swimming pool. b) A dynamite fuse made with a small quantity of dynamite powder along its length, so that the spark travels quickly and at a specific known rate … Wiktionary

beeline — bee|line [ˈbi:laın] n [Date: 1800 1900; Origin: From the belief that bees fly back to their hives in a straight line] make a beeline for sb/sth informal to go quickly and directly towards someone or something ▪ Rob always makes a beeline for… … Dictionary of contemporary English

beeline — [[t]bi͟ːlaɪn[/t]] also bee line PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n If you make a beeline for a place, you go to it as quickly and directly as possible. [INFORMAL] She made a beeline for the car … English dictionary

beeline — noun make a beeline for informal to go quickly and directly towards someone or something: Rob always makes a beeline for beautiful women at parties … Longman dictionary of contemporary English